Lisa Proctor

Conditioner is not shampoo.

Co-washing usually means washing the hair and scalp with conditioner instead of using shampoo as the cleansing step.

I do not recommend that as a replacement for shampooing.

My standard stays the same: wash the scalp. Properly condition clean hair.

Why Co-Washing Became Popular

People with dry, curly, coily, textured or chemically stressed hair can absolutely experience roughness, tangling or dryness when shampooing is too harsh or when the hair is not conditioned well afterward.

I understand the problem co-washing is trying to solve.

I disagree with solving that problem by removing the cleansing step.

The Scalp and Hair Fiber Are Not the Same Thing

The scalp is living skin that produces oil, sheds cells, sweats and accumulates products and environmental material.

The hair lengths are fiber. They benefit from conditioning, lubrication, reduced friction and protection from damage.

Those are different jobs.

Cleanse the scalp. Condition the hair.

If Shampoo Feels Too Harsh, Change the Shampooing

If shampoo leaves the hair rough, tangled or stripped, I would rather change the cleanser, the frequency, the technique or the conditioning strategy than decide the scalp should no longer be washed.

A gentler shampoo is still shampoo. Applying it mainly to the scalp is still cleansing. Following with the right conditioner is still conditioning.

What About Products Sold as “Cleansing Conditioners”?

Some products marketed as co-washes contain actual cleansing agents. If a product genuinely cleans, then I judge it by how effectively and appropriately it performs that job—not by the marketing term on the bottle.

My objection is to using a conditioning step instead of cleansing and then calling the scalp washed.

The Hair Can Be Dry and the Scalp Can Still Need Washing

This is one of the most important distinctions in hair care.

Dry ends do not prove the scalp should be left uncleansed. An oily scalp does not mean the lengths should be stripped.

We can treat the scalp and hair according to what each actually needs.

Wash the scalp. Properly condition clean hair. Those are two separate steps for a reason.

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Next Useful Move

If co-washing appeals to you because shampooing makes your hair feel terrible, start by asking whether the cleanser, technique or conditioner is the real problem.

General cosmetology education. Individual cleansing frequency and product choice vary with scalp oiliness, hair texture, styling practices and medical scalp conditions.